forecast
Americanverb (used with object)
-
forecasts,
present (3rd person singular)
-
forecasted,
past participle, past
-
forecast,
past participle, past
-
forecasting
present participle
-
to predict (a future condition or occurrence); calculate in advance.
to forecast a heavy snowfall; to forecast lower interest rates.
- Synonyms:
- anticipate, foretell
-
to serve as a prediction of; foreshadow.
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to contrive or plan beforehand; prearrange.
- Synonyms:
- project
verb (used without object)
-
forecasts,
present (3rd person singular)
-
forecasted,
past participle, past
-
forecast,
past participle, past
-
forecasting
present participle
noun
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forecasts
plural
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a prediction, especially as to the weather.
-
a conjecture as to something in the future.
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the act, practice, or faculty of forecasting.
-
Archaic. foresight in planning.
- Synonyms:
- prescience, forethought
verb
-
to predict or calculate (weather, events, etc), in advance
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(tr) to serve as an early indication of
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(tr) to plan in advance
noun
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a statement of probable future weather conditions calculated from meteorological data
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a prophecy or prediction
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the practice or power of forecasting
Synonym Usage
See predict.
Other Word Forms
Derived Forms
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forecasternoun
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reforecastverb (used with object)
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forecastableadjective
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unforecastadjective
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unforecastedadjective
Inflected Forms
Nouns
Participles
Conjugated Forms
Present
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forecastsimple
-
forecastssimple
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have forecastperfect
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have forecastedperfect
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has forecastperfect
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has forecastedperfect
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am forecastingprogressive
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are forecastingprogressive
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is forecastingprogressive
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have been forecastingperfect progressive
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has been forecastingperfect progressive
Past
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forecastsimple
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forecastedsimple
-
had forecastperfect
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had forecastedperfect
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was forecastingprogressive
-
were forecastingprogressive
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had been forecastingperfect progressive
Future
Etymology
Origin of forecast
First recorded in 1400–50; Middle English (verb) “to plan ahead of time”; see origin at fore-, cast ( def. )
Explanation
A forecast is a prediction of what will happen. If the weather forecast calls for sunny skies, consider leaving your umbrella at home. (But, since forecasts aren’t guaranteed to be right, don’t blame us if you get rained on.) While often used in the context of weather, forecast can also be used for other types of predictions such as those related to financial or political outcomes. Note that a forecast is typically a prediction made by experts. So, while a financial analyst might forecast fourth-quarter profits, your prediction about whether your friend will pay back the five dollars he owes you is more of a hunch than a forecast.
Vocabulary lists containing forecast
Power Prefix: fore-
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Vocabulary from the Introduction to "Reality is Broken" by Jane McGonigal
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Physical Geography - Introductory
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Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
See Examples For:
On Wednesday, Target reported better-than-expected second-quarter results and raised its full-year sales growth forecast to around 5%.
From MarketWatch ● Aug. 20, 2026
Santa Ana wind gusts were forecast to reach speeds of 60 to 80 miles per hour, with peak gusts of 90 miles per hour in the mountains.
From Los Angeles Times ● Aug. 20, 2026
Weekly jobless claims totaled 206,000, down from the previous week’s downwardly revised 212,000 and slightly lower than forecast.
From MarketWatch ● Aug. 20, 2026
Target rose 4.3% to a 52-week high after raising its full-year sales growth forecast, as the retailer’s turnaround continued to gain traction.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Aug. 19, 2026
They were all there when I arrived at the twins’ for dinner that night, gathered around the radio and listening to the weather forecast as if to some wartime bulletin from the front.
From "The Secret History" by Donna Tartt
Since that meeting, expectations of a U.S. interest-rate hike have eased following weak jobs data and inflation figures that were in line with forecasts.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Aug. 19, 2026
While wet weather is forecast for many this week, some long-range forecasts are suggesting further dry and sunny spells in September.
From BBC ● Aug. 19, 2026
Revenue is now expected at $92 billion, at the lower end of its previous range of between $92 billion and $94 billion, and below analyst forecasts of $92.94 billion.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Aug. 19, 2026
But as with all long range forecasts, there is a lot of uncertainty at this stage.
From BBC ● Aug. 18, 2026
There was a whole tribe of men who made a living simply by selling systems, forecasts, and lucky amulets.
From "1984" by George Orwell
Last season, only four teams featured in the forecasted top-four positions, but this time there are seven named, in 15 different combinations.
From BBC ● Aug. 20, 2026
That has the ironic consequence of increasing the forecasted return of the stock market relative to the bond market.
From MarketWatch ● Jul. 28, 2026
The report also highlights the steep increase in the number of Pip recipients in recent years and the forecasted rise in spending on the benefit.
From BBC ● Jul. 8, 2026
Economists have forecasted those pressures are delaying a strong recovery in single-family housing starts.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Jun. 16, 2026
Because if I didn’t beat Elliot in this, he would go on to the next level of the Academy, and I’d be left behind, waiting for whatever awful future the letter forecasted to come true.
From "Glitch" by Laura Martin
He isn’t forecasting outright recession, since household and businesses balance sheets are strong.
From MarketWatch ● Aug. 19, 2026
Such monitoring could improve space weather forecasting and contribute to safer, more dependable satellite operations in the future.
From Science Daily ● Aug. 12, 2026
China's NMC issued a red typhoon alert -- its most severe warning -- on Sunday morning, forecasting "extraordinary torrential rain" in some areas of central and eastern Zhejiang.
From Barron's ● Aug. 9, 2026
Analysts are forecasting $1.12 billion in revenue and 61 cents a share in adjusted earnings.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Aug. 6, 2026
Against his bleak forecasting is set my mother’s cheerfulness, in retrospect profoundly willed.
From "Cat's Eye" by Margaret Atwood
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
